A patient was sent a threatening letter by a debt collection agency demanding payment for a dental appointment she had paid for six months ago.

Linda Bridgwater was left "disgusted and upset" after she was told to pay £220 for her treatment at mydentist on Market Street in Eastleigh - more than triple what she had paid prior to her appointment in September 2023.

The 60-year-old, from Eastleigh, received several letters from NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) and mydentist throughout December and January claiming that she had not paid, with the amount she was told to pay increasing each time.

But after providing proof of the £70.70 payment for a filling and professional cleaning, Linda was assured the matter had been resolved.

Two months later, on Monday, she received a letter from debt collection agency CCS Collect, requesting a £220 fee.

“It’s been really upsetting for me,” said Linda.

Daily Echo:

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“I had to constantly go back and forth with them through December and January and just when I thought it had all been resolved I receive another letter demanding payment, when I’d already paid for my treatment months ago.

“I’ve been a patient at My Dentist for the last 15 to 20 years and never experienced anything like this, but now I’m looking elsewhere – which is easier said than done because dentists are so in demand at the moment.”

This comes after Eastleigh councillors called on the government at the end of last year to help residents searching for NHS dentist appointments, by providing a cash injection to dentistry in under-served communities.

Daily Echo:

In a statement, a spokesperson for mydentist commented: “We would like to apologise for the experience that Linda had, which happened due to a technical error and was flagged with the NHSBSA.

“As soon as we were made aware of this, we acted quickly and followed up with the NHS Business Services Authority to ensure that the charge was removed, and the matter was resolved as soon as possible.”

Responding to the statement, Linda’s sister Wendy Morby, 58, told the Echo: “mydentist think it’s sufficient to brush it under the carpet to reflect well on them.

“It is ongoing until Linda receives a full written apology from all parties involved, and ultimately stops receiving these countless letters.”

A spokesperson for NHSBSA said apologised for the distress caused and said that Linda should not have received a penalty, which was sent due to an error.